About us

Overview

AudioCulture is, “the noisy library of New Zealand music”.

AudioCulture is an online celebration of the people who have created the music, the scenes they shaped, and the audiences they played to.

On AudioCulture, visitors can read about the People, Labels and Scenes, listen to music (via Spotify and Soundcloud), watch music videos (via NZ On Screen and YouTube), listen to interviews and performances (via Radio New Zealand National), view images (photographs, posters, hand-written song lyrics and more), and browse discographies (via Discogs); and share AudioCulture content with their social media friends.

AudioCulture is working with artists, historians and music industry people to tell the stories of nearly one hundred years of New Zealand popular music culture, from the first vinyl recording in the 1920s to digital streaming.

AudioCulture is an ongoing work in progress, with gaps being filled and stories being added continuously.

As it continues to grow, AudioCulture will evolve into a valuable cultural asset: a repository of Aotearoa aural history treasures, from Aaradhna to Zonk. The site kicked off with 250 pages, ranging from Bill Sevesi to Bic Runga, The Clean to Concord Dawn, Lew Pryme to La De Da’s, Māori Hi-Five to Manuel Bundy. Another 300 pages followed in AudioCulture’s second year. By June 2016 we had 900 pages.

Many of the stories of New Zealand music are stories of Māori music. From waiata sung in Te Reo to the towering personalities of Howard Morrison, Dalvanis and Prince Tui Teka, and contemporary wahine Moana Maniapoto and Anika Moa. AudioCulture also strives to encompass influences from New Zealand's wider ethnic diversity, including Pacific and Asian music and musicians.

AudioCulture was the brainchild of respected NZ label owner, writer, producer, DJ and broadcaster Simon Grigg. He was AudioCulture’s first Creative Director and founder. In September 2016 Simon stepped back (he is now the Founding Editor) and handed the reins to New Zealand music historian and author of the 2010 Book of The Year, Blue Smoke, Chris Bourke. Chris is joined by musician and writer Steven Shaw, the site's editor, and publicist Renee Jones. Murray Cammick, founder of Rip It Up, was Editor at Large from 2012 to 2015. AudioCulture has curated a pool of more than 45 noted writers and contributors. AudioCulture also has photographs from the lenses of many documenters of New Zealand’s music scene, including a large number of never-before-published original images. We add to these continually.

The site is funded by NZ On Air and overseen by the same trust that’s in charge of its sibling project: the award-winning screen showcase NZ On Screen (the Digital Media Trust). National Library of New Zealand is an AudioCulture partner, as is Radio New Zealand, and the site links to and sources from many (extraordinary) existing online archival sources.

AudioCulture is for everyone with an interest in New Zealand popular music, whether they are a music fan looking for entertaining information, an academic looking for facts and figures, or a nostalgia-buff going on a trip down memory lane.

The project welcomes contributions – written and visual – from writers, fans, and those who were in the mosh pits, bedrooms and on the dance floors.

This interview with Simon Grigg and Murray Cammick appeared on Radio New Zealand National on 30 November 2013:

Governance

The project is governed by an independent Charitable Trust, the Digital Media Trust, comprising four independent Trustees and up to three appointed by NZ On Air.

Rights clearances

Images have been licensed or cleared with the copyright owners, however where we have been unable to contact the owners best efforts have been made. See the site Terms and Conditions for more information.